Liver – the liver's main task is detoxification, but it also plays an important role in removing and/or activating numerous hormones and enzymes, although only a few of these are involved in digestion.
The liverhas a dual blood supply. After being absorbed through the bowel wall, nutrients travel to the liver, through the portal venous system (portal vein, vena portae).
The liverartery (arteria hepatica), in turn, supplies the livertissue with arterial blood. The liver's incoming portal blood is processed in two ways: bacteria and other foreign substances absorbed by the bowel are filtered out, and some of the nutrients absorbed by the bowel are broken down further so that the body can use them.
The liverproduces about half of the cholesterol the body needs; the rest comes from food. The liveralso produces bile, which plays an essential role in fat digestion.
